Direct and return mailing envelope



Jan. 23, 1962 B. L. HENRY DIRECT AND RETURNMAILING ENVELOPE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1959 INVENTOR. 8504/!!! 400/55 IVE/117?) Jan. 23, 1962 B. L. 'HENRY 3,018,033

DIRECT AND RETURN MAILING ENVELOPE Filed Feb. 20, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

/4 FIG. 8 a 2/ 2/ 25 I 26 Li Z0 9/ r: f 2 FIG. 9

INVENTOR. 3357/4/96 100/55 lVf/V/Fy Jan. 23, 1962 B. L. HENRY 3,018,033

DIRECT AND RETURN MAILING ENVELOPE Filed Feb. 20, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 AZ BY Jan. 23, 1962 B. L. HENRY DIRECT AND RETURN MAILING ENVELOPE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 20, 1959 INVENTOR.

5504,0/1 400/65 HEA/FY BY Unit 3,dl8,633 Patented Jan. 23, 1962 3,018,033 DIRECT AND RETURN MAlLlNt} ENVELOPE Beulah Louise Henry, Hotel Seville, Madison Ave. and 29th t., New York, ELY. Filed Feb. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 794,661 1 filaim. Cl. 229--73) This invention relates to an envelope adapted for direct and return mailing purposes.

An object of the invention is to provide an envelope having sealable closure flaps integrally connected with the front and rear walls of the envelope respectively and which are adapted to seal the envelope in closed relation for direct and return mailing.

Another object of the invention is to provide an envelope of said character in which the direct mailing closure flap covers the return mailing closure flap when the envelope is sealed for direct mailing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a series of continuously attached envelopes which are arranged with adjacent envelopes connected together to permit of the convenient arrangement of the envelopes in stack formation and the feeding thereof one at a time from the stack through a machine for addressing the same.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a series of continuously attached envelopes in which each of the direct and return mailing closure flaps of the series of envelopes is connected with a closure flap of an adjacent envelope by a weakened line to permit of the convenient separation of adjacent envelopes.

A further object of the invention is to provide the closure flap for sealing the envelope in closed relation for direct mailing with laterally extending tabs adjacent the sealing end thereof and with spaced parallel weakened lines extending transversely thereacross from one tab to the other to permit of the convenient disconnecting the closure flap from the envelope adjacent the sealed end thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, refer once is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a series of envelopes constructed in accordance with the invention for use for direct and return mailing purposes and with the several envelopes in the series shown in expanded relation.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the form of the blank rom which one of the envelopes constructed in accordance with the invention is produced and with the flaps thereof connected with the flaps of adjacent envelopes fragmentarily shown.

FIG. 4 isa perspective view of one of the envelopes constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the closure flaps in open relation.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the envelope sealed for direct mailing.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the envelope with the direct mailing flap torn away and the return mailing flap removed from within the envelope.

FIG. 7 is a view showing the envelope when sealed for return mailing.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken approximately on line 88 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken approximately on line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a modified form of envelope constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 11'11 of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of still another modified form of the envelope constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the flaps in position for direct mailing.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken approximately on line Ill-13 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the envelope showing the direct mailing sealing flap uppermost and in sealed relation.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the envelope with the flap which seals the envelope for direct mailing removed.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 16-16 of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the envelope showing the return mailing fiap sealed and covering the window opening.

Referring to the drawings, the envelope 10 is produced from an elongated strip of paper which is of any desired length and width to provide the size of envelope required. The envelope includes a front wall 11, a rear wall 12 and sealable closure flaps 13 and 14. The rear wall 12 is connected with the front wall 11 along its lower longitudinal edge 15, while the closure flap 13 is connected with the rear wall along its upper longitudinal edge 16 and the closure flap 14 is connected with the front wall along its upper longitudinal edge 17. The front wall is provided with side flaps 18 at the opposite ends thereof which are fold-able rearwardly into o-verly-' ing relation with the inner face of the front wall and are provided with a gummed coating 19 for securing the rear wall to said flaps in folded over relation with the front wall to provide a pocket therebetween for receiving letters and the like therein. The sealable closure flap 14 constitutes the closure flap for sealing the envelope for direct mailing purposes and for this purpose the front wall 10 may be provided with an opening 29 through which the name and address of the addressee on the letter contained therein is visible. The closure flap 13 constitutes the closure flap for sealing the envelope in closed relation for return mailing and for this purpose the rear face of the rear wall 12 may be provided with the name and address of the addressor or other party to whom the letter is to be returned. The closure flap 14 is provided with an adhesive coating on one side of the free edge portion 21 which is the under side of the envelope shown in plan in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The closure flap 14 is foldable upon the outer face of the rear Wall 12 and is adapted to be adhesively secured thereto adjacent the longitudinal edge 15 thereof for. sealing the same in closed relation for direct mailing with the closure flap 13 folded upon the outer face of the rear Wall 12 and covered by the closure flap 14.

In order to conveniently open the letter, the fold line 17 between the closure flap 14 and the front wall 11 is a perforated or weakened line and adjacent the adhesive portion 21 the said flap is provided with laterally extending tabs 22 at the side edges thereof and with parallel perforated or weakened lines 23 and 24 extending thereacross from one tab to the other. By means of this construction either one of the tabs 22 may be grasped and the flap torn along said weakened lines so as to, free the closure flap from the adhesive portion 21 which portion adheres to the back of the envelope. The flap may also be torn along the weakened line 17 so as to completely separate the flap from the envelope. The envelope is then in open relation for removing the contents thereof and for inserting a reply letter after which the closure flap 13 is folded into overlying relation with the front wall 11 to thereby cover the opening 20 and seal the envelope in closed relation for mailing as a reply letter to the address on the rear wall 12 thereof. For thispurpose the closure flap 13 is provided with. an adhesive coating on one side of the free edge portion 25 thereof and which is the under side of the envelope shown in plan in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

The envelopes may be produced in series formation with adjacent envelopes connected together for arrangement in stack relation whereby the same may be fed one at a time from the stack through a machine for addressing the envelopes. For this purpose the envelopes are produced from a continuous length of a stock fragmentarily illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings with the flaps 13 and 14 of adjacent envelopes connected together by a weakened or perforated line 26 to permit of the convenient separation of each envelope from the stack. When in stack formation, the gummed portion 21 of the closure flap 14 is folded on the weakened line 24 to disposed the same in alignment with the closure flap 13 of the adjacent envelope as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawmgs.

Instead of the relatively wide closure flap 14, the envelope may be provided with a closure flap of sharply tapered formation for direct mailing as illustrated in FIG. of the drawings. In this form the envelope includes a front wall 30, a rear wall 31 and scalable closure flaps 32 and 33. The rear wall 31 is connected with the front wall along its lower longitudinal edge while the closure flaps 32 and 33 are connected with the front and rear walls respectively along their upper longitudinal edges. Side flaps 34 integrally connected with the front wall are folded inwardly beneath the rear wall 31 and are adhesively connected thereto so as to provide an envelope having an open longitudinal edge located between the closure fiaps. The front wall 30 is similarly provided with an opening or window 35 through which the name and address of the addressee on the letter contained therein is visible. In this form of the invention the closure flap 32 tapers sharply toward the free outer end thereof whereby the side edges of the closure flap 33 are exposed when the envelope is sealed for direct mailing. This provides means by which a letter opener may be readily inserted between the closure flaps 32 and 33 for disconnecting the closure flap 32 along the weakened or tearable line 37. The closure flap 32 is also provided with tabs 38 similar to the tabs 22 in the previous form of the invention for facilitating tearing of the closure flap along the weakened or tearable lines 39 and 40. The closure flaps 32 and 33 are provided with gummed portions adjacent the free longitudinal edges thereof as in the previous form of the invention and the envelope is produced in series formation from a continuous length of stock, the free edges of the closure flaps 32 and 33 being connected with closure flaps 33 and 32 of adjacent envelopes respectively along weakened or tearable lines resulting in the edges 41 and 42 when severed.

The envelope may be used in a stuffing machine for inserting one or more mailing pieces in the envelope and in order to do so, the flap which seals the envelope in closed relation for return mailing is turned inwardly between the front and rear walls whereby the mouth of the envelope can be spread open so as to automatically insert mailing pieces therein between the front wall of the envelope and the turned in closure flap, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 17 of the drawings.

The flap is cut away on one side whereby the same may be readily turned inwardly between the front and rear walls thereof and readily pulled outwardly therefrom by inserting a finger in the envelope between the rear wall and the turned in sealing flap and pulling the turned in flap outwardly.

The envelope includes a front wall 50, a rear wall 51 and scalable closure flaps 52 and 53, the closure flap 52 being the closure flap for sealing the envelope in closed relation for direct mail, while the closure flap 53 being the closure flap for sealing the envelope in closed relation for reply. The rear wall 51 is connected with the front wall 50 along its lower longitudinal edge, while the closure flaps 52 and 53 are connected with the front and rear walls respectively along their upper longitudinal edges. Side flaps 54 formed integrally with the front wall 50 fold inwardly beneath the rear wall 51 and are adhesively connected thereto so as to provide an envelope having an open longitudinal edge between the closure flaps. The front wall 50 is similarly provided with an opening or window 55 through which the name and address of the addressee on the letter contained therein is visible. In order to conveniently insert the closure flap 53 in inwardly projecting relation in the envelope and to conveniently withdraw the same therefrom without disconnecting the same from the rear wall of the envelope, the said closure flap is provided with a curved side edge 56 extending from the upper edge thereof to the bottom edge 57.

The closure flap 52 is also provided with tabs 58 at the side edges thereof similar to the tabs 22 and 38 in the previous forms of the invention for facilitating the tearing of the closure flap along weakened or tearable lines 59 and 60 which extend transversely of the closure flap from the upper and lower edges of the tabs. The said closure flap 52 is connected with the front wall 50 by a weakened or tearable line 61 for facilitating the disconnecting of the said closure flap for use of the envelope for reply. The closure flaps 52 and 53 are provided with gummed portions adjacent the free longitudinal edges thereof as in the previous forms of the invention and the envelope is produced in series formation from a continuous length of stock. When in series formation the closure flaps 52 and 53 are connected with closure flaps 53 and 52 of adjacent envelopes respectively along weakened or tearable lines resulting in the edges 62 and 57 when the envelope is severed from chain formation.

While the preferred forms of the invention have been shown and described herein, the same i not so limited but shall cover and include any and all modifications thereof which fall within the purview of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A mailing envelope including front and rear walls connected together in closed relation at the bottom and opposite side edges thereof and with an opening into the envelope at the top, said front wall having a window through which the name and address on the letter contained therein is visible, said window being laterally offset in greater spaced relation from one side edge of the envelope than the other, a closure flap integrally connected with said front wall along the open top of the envelope by a weakened tearable line and constituting the direct mailing closure flap and said direct mailing closure flap being tearable along said tearable line for freeing the same from the front wall of the envelope, a closure flap integrally connected with said rear wall along the open top of the envelope and constituting the return mailing closure flap, said return mailing closure flap being of a width greater than the length of said window and of a length from the top to the bottom edge thereof greater than the distance from the upper edge of the envelope to the bottom edge of said window whereby said closure flap covers the window in said front wall when said closure flap is sealed for return mailing, said return mailing closure flap having a side edge which is inwardly curved from an upper corner of the envelope defined by the upper edge and said side edge of the envelope, said inwardly curved edge extending downwardly to a point adjacent the lower edge of the flap, said point being spaced inwardly from said side edge of the envelope a distance about one-third the length of the envelope, said inwardly curved edge being disposed in greater spaced relation from said one side edge of the envelope than the spacing of the opposite edge ofthe return mailing closure flap from the other side edge of the envelope to permit the insertion of a finger under the inwardly curved side edge of the return mailing closure flap when the latter flap is disposed within the envelope for convenient 5 6 withdrawal thereof for use as a return mailing closure 1,145,935 Steinke July 13, 1915 flap. 2,310,371 Lines at al. Feb. 9, 1943 2,317,335 Whitman Apr. 20, 1943 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,464,490 D i M 15, 1949 5 McFarland PIOV. 11, 310,495 Crane Jan. 6, 1885 FOREIGN PATENTS 893,227 Davies July 14, 1908 4,857 Great Britain 1903 

